Egypt's Morsi calls for intervention to end 'oppressive' Syria regime

A handout picture made available by Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's official website shows (L-R), United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Egyptian president Mohammad Morsi and Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh at the opening ceremony of the summit of the Non-Alligned Movement (NAM), the group of countries not aligned with any of the powers blocs , Thursday.

By NBC News staff and wire reports

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi criticized Syria’s "oppressive regime" Thursday at an international conference in Iran – one of President Bashar Assad's few remaining allies - and called for outside intervention to end the civil war.

Morsi, a moderate Islamist, told a summit of non-aligned nations in Tehran that Assad’s government had “lost its legitimacy” and the international community had an “ethical duty” to help the Syrian people.

"We all have to announce our full solidarity with the struggle of those seeking freedom and justice in Syria, and translate this sympathy into a clear political vision that supports a peaceful transition to a democratic system of rule that reflects the demands of the Syrian people for freedom."

Al-Jazeera's Imran Khan reported that Morsi's comments caused "unease" in the room "especially for the Iranians who are close to Syria."